All The Information You Need to Know On E-Bike Batteries

There are several possibilities for both the bike and battery when buying an e-bike, though. How then can you choose which one suits your needs the best? Here are my opinions on the most often asked topics regarding e-bike batteries from the perspective of a battery engineer who has constructed hundreds of batteries and spent far too many hours soldering battery packs.

You might want to start here if you're unfamiliar with battery jargon: Every e-bike owner should be familiar with these battery terminologies.

We'll discuss the following issues in this article:

1. Which e-bike battery is the best?

2. How far can an e-bike battery travel?

3. How long does an e-bike battery last?

4. What is the best way to charge your battery to extend its life?

1. Which e-bike battery is the best?

One of the most difficult questions to answer is this one. What constitutes a good battery depends on so many different factors that what works best for you might not work best for me. Even then, improper maintenance can cause a good battery to function badly.

Individual battery "cells" make up battery packs. There are two types of cells: prismatic cells and cylindrical cells, which include your AA and AAA cells (like the one in your phone). There are several form-factors in which each class of battery is produced (in the battery world we use this term to mean size). The 18650 form-factor of cells is the one that is most frequently used in an e-bike battery pack.

In my experience, there is a direct relationship between price and quality when it comes to batteries. When it comes to the majority of items, such as box wine (I'm just saying, there are many very great selections available these days! ), I don't adhere to this guideline. But when it comes to batteries, you should certainly avoid settling for inferior products since you'll eventually have to pay the price.

 

The following considerations should be made while buying an e-bike:

 

Manufacturers of the cells: Panasonic, LG, and Samsung are well-known in the battery sector for producing high-quality cells, thus spending more money on them is unquestionably worthwhile. If the manufacturer of the electric bicycle you want to purchase doesn't have or provide

Lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries are the best choice for e-bikes in terms of cell chemistry. Although lead-acid batteries are far less expensive, they weigh three times as much as li-ion batteries.

Li-cell ion's chemistry comes in a variety of forms. Nickel Manganese Cobalt (NMC), Lithium Cobalt Oxide (LCO), and Lithium Iron Phosphate are the three most often used ones for e-bikes (LFP). The criteria to consider when choosing cell chemistry are as follows:

1.       Your battery's range is impacted by specific energy.

2.       Specific Power: how well a battery performs in conditions of high loads, such as climbing a hill.

3.       Safety: Has the chemistry had a high rate of in-field failures in the past?

 

There are trade-offs when deciding on one chemistry over another, however, NMC and LFP are both excellent choices that both

Determining what is most important to you will help you choose the best battery chemistry. Would you prefer a battery with less power but a greater range (higher specific energy)? Do you prefer a battery with greater specific power but perhaps a shorter lifespan?

I believe that Panasonic, LG, or Samsung cells with either LFP or NMC cell chemistry will be used to make the greatest e-bike batteries.

2. How far can an e-bike battery travel?

 A battery pack's range is determined by the energy stored inside of it, which is expressed in Watt-Hours (Wh). Watt?

 Calculating Watt-hours requires multiplying the battery's Amp-hour capacity by its Voltage in Volts.

Let's say that a mile uses roughly 25Wh of energy on average. Therefore, a 14Ah, 36V battery should provide you with around 25 miles of range.

Remember that the range will vary significantly depending on the rider's weight, the weather outdoors, and how much you pedal.

 The range that e-bike manufacturers give should be viewed with some skepticism, it should be said. That figure is derived from experiments that are carried out under precisely controlled lab circumstances. Do you use a lab-grade charger to charge any of your gadgets in an incubator chamber that is kept at 28 °C and that applies the ideal current? Yeah, neither do I. The manufacturer-specified range is only delivered, then, if the battery is in good condition.

Reduce the manufacturer-specified range by 15% for a more accurate estimate, and take the padded result as the actual range.

Choose a battery with a bigger capacity if you want a longer range (Ah). Select a battery with a higher voltage if you need additional power (V). Discover the significance of voltage and capacity.

3. How long does an e-bike battery last?

 The lifespan of a battery is influenced by several factors, including:

  environmental circumstances temperature while it is being charged and discharged

·         charging voltage: the voltage at which your battery is charged charging rate: the speed at which your battery is being charged

·         depth of discharge (DoD): the voltage at which your battery is being discharged

 The list above is not all-inclusive, but in general, batteries lose power over time when they are charged. Period.

 Here's an illustration:

 Day 1: You receive your new e-bike, fully charge it, and then go for a bike ride. When you go home, you fully charge the bike in anticipation of using it once again shortly.

 Day 2 - 364: You still haven't ridden your bike since that initial ride since life gets in the way.

 Day 365: A year later, you finally have some free time and it's the ideal day for a bike trip. You unlock your bike as you enter your basement and eagerly start it. Charged at 80%. What? You recall fully charging your bike before putting it in the basement last year.

 

4.    4. What is the best way to charge your battery to extend its life?

1. Leaving your battery charged in a hot environment will destroy it more quickly than anything else. Move your fully charged e-bike indoors, where it's cooler if it's 80 degrees outdoors, and attempt to deplete the battery as fast as you can.

2. As often as feasible, charge your battery at room temperature.

 3. The slower the charge rate while looking for an e-bike battery charger, the better. As an illustration, if you have a 2-Amp charger and a 14 Ah battery pack, your charging time will be 14 Ah / 2-Amps = 7 hours. This is a great, leisurely charge that will undoubtedly increase the battery pack's longevity. For a complete charge, avoid charging at a rate that is quicker than two hours.

There are many factors to consider when selecting the optimum battery for your e-bike, and there isn't a one-size-fits-all solution. But here's what I would do if I were to get an e-bike battery right now: LFP or NMC, gradual charge, stay away from hotter storage and charging environments, and keep the battery at about 30% charge if you won't be using it for a while.